ISP Review: Earthlink

Internet service providers are a dime a dozen, with literally hundreds of companies offering Internet service to consumers eager to surf the World Wide Web in an increasingly technological world. Over the years I have tried more than a few of these providers with mixed results. Ultimately I settled on Earthlink about six years ago and have been a loyal Internet subscriber of the company ever since.

According to TopTenReviews.com, "Earthlink offers more ways to get connected in more places than any other Internet provider we reviewed. This single provider offers cable, dial-up, DSL and satellite, allowing customers Internet access even where there are no phone or cable lines."

All of this is of course true, and one of the most difficult choices I faced was deciding on exactly which Earthlink service I was going to subscribe to. Ultimately I decided on DSL because I didn't want to run the risk of losing Internet service during inclement weather if I had to rely on a satellite signal dependent on a clear view of the sky.

Earthlink has arguably the most comprehensive line-up of features offered by any Internet service provider. Parental controls are available to keep kids away from non-desirable web sites, and pop-up blockers do a great job of stopping annoying advertisements that are increasingly saturating the World Wide Web. In addition, Earthlink offers effective virus, spam and spyware protection as part of its service packages.

Perhaps one of the best features offered by Earthlink is the number of email accounts available with your service. You get eight different accounts, each with 1,000 MB of storage space, and the ability to create anonymous accounts to protect your identity. Earthlink also has available web hosting, web creation tools, and individual Internet web pages.

Earthlink provides Internet service across most of the United States, although the availability of particular broadband services may be limited if you are in a really remote area. Typically, Earthlink offers some sort of introductory pricing that includes free equipment or equipment rebates with your subscription.